An Overview Of Kids Pollen Allergies

A pollen allergy is simply an allergic reaction that has pollen as its trigger. Physically, kid's pollen allergies are no different than any other type of allergic reaction. The immune system mistakenly recognizes a normally harmless substance as a dangerous bodily invader and releases blood chemicals such as histamines to fight it off. These chemicals cause the range of symptoms common to allergies. In the case of kid's pollen allergies, the normally harmless allergen is pollen, and when an allergic child comes into contact with offensive pollens, his or her body responds to it as if it were an infectious danger.

What Are The Symptoms Of Kid's Pollen Allergies?

The symptoms of kid's pollen allergies are those that are normally attributed to "hay fever" or seasonal allergies (which pollen allergies are). These include:

• Stuffy nose and nasal congestion
• Sneezing
• Itchy nose, throat, and eyes
• Cough
• Dark circles beneath the eyes
• Rubbing of the nose
• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Allergic conjunctivitis (recognized most often by parents as 'pink eye')
• Crease across the lower bridge of the nose (from frequent rubbing)

Where Does Pollen Come From?

Pollen comes from plants of all types—trees, weeds, grasses, vegetables, and flowers. Pollens are microscopic grains that are round or oval and are used by the plant as a means of reproduction. Pollens are released by plants into the air so that they can float off to other plants and reproduce the species.

The plants that cause most pollen allergies are plants that produce large amounts of pollen—like trees, ragweed, and grasses. These are not usually the pretty plants you'd put in your garden bed (although they can be); plants that produce the pollens responsible for most kid's pollen allergies are usually smaller flowered, less attractive types.

Kid's pollen allergies are only an issue during the times of the year when the plants they are allergic to are releasing their pollens. Pollens are released by plants during different times of the year. The general range is mid-spring to mid-fall, but it is earlier in warmer climates where plants live year-round. Pollen release also differs depending on the type of plants—trees are a problem in the spring, while ragweed is a problem in the early fall. Expect pollen allergies to be worse on days that are dry and breezy; rainfall helps wash pollen from the air, so life with kid's pollen allergies is easier after a good storm.

What Can Be Done About Kid's Pollen Allergies?

Because kid's pollen allergies are seasonal, they are not a year-round problem in most areas. So if a child's pollen allergy symptoms can be managed during the pollination season, the child will not require maintenance medication for the rest of the year (unless other allergies exist).

Management of kid's pollen allergies relies on avoiding pollens as much as possible during peak season, and taking medication and relief measures to relieve pollen allergy symptoms. Pollen counts are very useful at helping manage kid's pollen allergies. Pollen counts are reported daily on local newscasts and websites and give an estimation of whether pollen levels in the air are low, moderate, or high. On days when pollen levels are higher, children with pollen allergies should restrict outside play or wear a mask to minimize pollen inhalation.

In the home, damp-dusting, vacuuming, and overall good cleaning are effective ways to keep the amount of pollen trapped inside the home at a low and more tolerable level. But even the most dedicated cleaning regimen cannot eliminate exposure to pollen, and so parents need to learn about the appropriate measures and available medications for treating kid's pollen allergies. With time, you'll come to figure out what times of the year kid's pollen allergies will affect your child, and you'll learn what methods and medications work best at relieving your child's pollen allergy symptoms, and kid's pollen allergies will become just another minor, manageable child illness you deal with.